Athanasius of Alexandria was known as the “Father of Orthodoxy,” the “Pillar of the Church,” and the “Champion of Christ’s Divinity.” He is one of the four Great Greek Fathers.
Athanasius was born between AD 295-298 in Alexandria, Egypt, where he studied the classics and theology. In 323, Arius (an ambitious priest of the Alexandrian Church) began spreading Arianism, which taught that Christ was a creature merely created by the Father and not actually divine. Athanasius attended the famous Council of Nicaea in 325 where he fought for the defeat of Arianism and for the acceptance of Christ’s Divinity. The true nature of Jesus was defended, the Creed was established, and Arianism was officially banished as heresy.
Arianism did not stop there though. In 335, after Athanasius was elected Bishop of Alexandria, the Arians managed to get him exiled. 3 years later, he returned to Alexandria to find Arianism had completely spilled over from theology to politics. They even had elected an Arian bishop. They exiled Athanasius a second time.
Over the next 25 years, Athanasius returned 3 more times, only to be banished each time he returned. One of the exiles involved him fleeing to the desert because the Arians were physically attacking him. While in the desert, he wrote some of his greatest works.
In 363, the new Emperor Valens allowed Athanasius to return. Finally, after being banished 5 times and spending 17 total years in exile, Athanasius was restored permanently as Bishop of Alexandria. He died peacefully on May 2, 373 in Alexandria. St. Athanasius is the patron saint of theologians. He is venerated to this day by both Roman Catholic Christians and Orthodox Christians as a great defender of the faith.
Click Here for Franciscan Media's Info on St. Bede (direct source used)
"When God intends to grant man a particular virtue, it is His way to let him be tempted to the opposite vice."
"Never say, 'What great things the saints do!' But 'What great things God does in His saints!'"
"To petition Our Blessed Lady in our most urgent need, repent, after the fashion of the rosary, 'Virgin Mary, Mother of God, Pray to Jesus for me.'"
Pope Saint Paul VI was one of the great popes of the 20th Century.
Joan of Arc (Jeanne d'Arc) was born in France in 1412 during the Hundred Years' War. In 1415, the war entered a crucial phase when King Henry V of England invaded France and claimed a series of victories against the forces of King Charles VI of France. In her early adolescence, Joan began receiving visions and hearing voices of St. Michael the Archangel, St. Catherine of Alexandria, and St. Margaret of Antioch urging her to drive out the English.
Fueled by outstanding mental and physical courage and faith in God, Joan led the French army to victory over the British at Orleans in May of 1429. For the next several weeks, she led French forces to several additional victories over the English, and Reims, the traditional city of coronation, was captured in July. In late July, Charles VII was crowned King of France, while Joan knelt at his feet.
About a year later, in May of 1430, Joan was leading another military expedition when she was captured by the Bourguignon soldiers and sold to the English. The English tried her as a heretic and witch. During the trial she was asked if she was in the state of grace. Joan said: "If I am not, may God put me there; and if I am, may God so keep me." She was later convicted and on May 30, 1431, she was burned at the stake at Rouen.
Prior to her execution, she asked two priests present to hold a crucifix before her. As she was being burned, she famously said "Lift high the Cross so I may see it through the flames!"
A retrial in 1456 declared her innocent and thus making her a martyr.
In 1909, Joan was beatified by Pope St. Pius X.
In 1920, she was canonized a saint by Pope Benedict XV.
St. Joan of Arc is the patron of France and is a great hero of French history. May St. Joan of Arc bless us with the gifts of courage, strength, fortitude, and firmness of faith as we too make our own journey to God!